Washing machine drive



J. OAKLEY WASHING MACHINE DRIVE Oct; 30, 1945.

Filed May 11, 1944 INVENTOR. M M V ,lations thereof to creep Patented Oct. 30, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT orr cs WASHING MACHINEDRIVE John Oakley,

Perkins ,Machine an Springfield, Mass,

d Gear Company,

assignor to West Springfield, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts v Application May ll, 1944, Serial No. 535,079

' 8 Claims, (01. '24-'78) This invention relates to improvements in washing machines and the like and is directed more particularly to driving mechanisms therefor.

The principal objects of the invention are directed to driving mechanism particularly adapted forwashing machines which is characterized by frictionally engageable driving and driven members held in frictional engagement by variable pressure means whereby a shaft "for an agitator may be various angles.

Mechanisms of the tion relates are intended to be responsive to the load applied to an oscillatable shaft, such as the agitator shaft of a arranged for adjustment to accommodate or operate on materials and fabrics of various kinds.

Some material or fabrics require more or less agitation thanothers and to, that end the novel construction of this invention makes it possible to select the angle of oscillation of the agitator shaft for the material or fabric being washed. That is the angle of oscillation may be varied from zero to the maximum, even while the mechanism is in operation and thereby a certain desired angle may be selected for certain materials.

There is tion, or stroke of the a tendency for the angle of oscilladriven shaft, during oscilaround the axis of oscillation. Although the mechanism maybe adjusted to produce a certain-angle of oscillation the point of reversal of direction of oscillation at the end of the strokestends to move around the axis of oscillation. For instance while the oscillations may be through a certain angle say sixty degrees, that angle of sixty degrees gradually rotates around a full circle so; that material being washed is likely tobewound about the agitator which is objectionable. l According to this invention, means is provided to prevent movement of the angle of oscillations around the axis of oscillation tolimit the angle of oscillation, of whatevermagnituda'to a certain portion of the circle. 7

Various novel features and advantages of the invention will be observed. from the following description of the invention in the form at present preferred. 1 I J s In-the drawing: "Fig. 1 is'an inverted plan view of aportion of-awashing machine tub turesof the invention associatedtherewith;

driven'ba'ck and forth through type to which this invene:

washing machine, andfare" having the novel fea- 'Fig. 2 is a plan view'of the driving and driven members of'the mechanism shown in Fig. 1; A Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the elements shown inFig. 2; and I Fig. 4 is a plan view of a driven member showing a modified form of the invention.

Referring now to the drawing more the invention will be fully described.

A portion of a tub of a washing machine is repinverted posiin detail,

resented by 2 and is shown m an tion.

A shaft 4 forthe agitator of the washing machine extends through a lower wall 6 of the tub and is journalled in a housing 8 The cover for the housing is not shown in the drawing. The housing is'secured to the tub 2 in the usual manner and it has a shaft l0 journalled therein that extends upwardly at a side of the tub 2 for operating the usual wringer mechanism of the washing machine. i i 1 A motor 12 is supported by a bracket construction l4 which is fixed to the tub and has a shaft l6 coupled by a coupling ill to a shaft 20 that is journalled in the housing 8. A worm 22 on said shaft 20 is in mesh with a worm gear 24 on the shaft l0 whereby said shaft is rotated by the motor l2.

A driving member 26 is pivoted at 28 to the gear 24 and is reciprocated back and forth relative to a driven member 30 on the agitator shaft4. i a

' The driving and driven members 26 and 30 are provided with angularly disposed complemental frictionally engageable surfaces whereby the latter is oscillated or driven back and forth by the former accordingly as the members! are yield ingly pressed into engagement.

A lever 32 is fixed to a shaft 34 which is journalled in the housing and has a guide member 34' pivoted thereto for slidably engaging member 26. A lever 38 fixed to said shaft 34 may be slightly yieldable. A cam- 40 is fixed on a shaft 42 extending upwardly alongside the tub which carries an operating member 44.

to-act on the lever 38 to exert more or less pressure to the driving member and bring about the desired angle of oscillation of the agitator shaft 4. V The mechanism described is similar to that described in U. S. Patent No. 2,274,950 of March 3, 1942 but the invention hereof is applicable to other mechanisms having similarly yieldingly engageable friction faces;

'ljhe mechanism may be adjusted to provide the desired angle of oscillation for the shaft 4 from zero to maximum but as angle tends to move around the axis of oscillation of said shaft. That is, the points of reversal at opposite ends of the stroke move around the center of the agitator shaft which the novel features of this invention overcome.

A projection 50 is provided in the groove of the driven member 30. This projection may take any form so as to interrupt the continuity of the friction faces of the driven member.

In operation the driving member 26 reciprocates back and forth. According to the adjustment of the pressure applying means the driven member 30 is oscillated in opposite directions through a certain angle.

before stated the said As the angle of oscillation moves around the axis of oscillation the projection 50 brings up against the driving member so as to move it slightly outwardly and away from the driven member. At least the en member sufliciently to break or disrupt the frictional contact of the members. Thereby the driving member ceases to actuate the driven member until it reverses its direction of reciprocation. i V

The projection 50 functions as a stop to locate the point of reversal of the oscillating strokes of the driven member and agitator shaft thereby preventing movement of the angle of oscillation around the axis of oscillation.

The driving and driven members are shown as male and female members but they may be reversed and projection on the driven member may take any form desired so as to interrupt the frictional faces for the purpose described. l

The projection carried by the driven member will in any case be such as to interrupt the frictional engagement of the driving and driven members whereby the driven member is no longer driven by the drivin member until the latter moves in an opposite direction. In this way the point of reversal ofoscillation of the driven member is limited and the tendency of the angle of oscillation to creep around the axis of oscillation is checked. That is, while the angle of oscillation of the shaft may be varied the strokes remain in the same place with reference to a circle thereby to overcome the objection referred to. If desired, the impact of the projection and abutment may be cushioned by yieldable material applied to the projection or driving member or to both as may be desired and considered necessary. V V

In another way, as shown in Fig. 4, a band 611 is disposed around the which may be by suitable means such as a screw 64 as shown. This screw may be adjusted so. that theband is substantially fixed to the wheel or it maycfrice tionally engage said wheel. V V c The loop or loops 62 function asdoes the projection 5D. The band may be made from yieldable or resilient materialsuch as spring steel so that the loop or loops when engaged by the driving member may impact to the desired extent. 7 V The band may be adjusted so that it functions as does the projectioniil yet theremaybe some slippage between the wheel and band whereby over a period of time the band will slip .around the wheel so that the entire friction faces of the wheel are in operative engagement with the driving members.

That is to say, the loop or ioops {may act for the member 50 moves thedriv- 7 characteristics yield sufiiciently tocushion the purpose described during a washing operation and thereby prevent the angle of oscillation and the agitator from moving around its axis of oper ation towind up the materials being washed, yet over a period of time the band may be moved through engagement with the driving member around the wheel so that all portions of the friction faces are operatively engaged :by the driving member. In this way the driving member does not act on the same portion of the friction faces of the wheel indefinitely.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the essential thereof. Hence, the present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects merely as being illustrative and not as being restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all modifications and variations as fall within the meaning and purview and range of equivalency of the appended claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What it is desired to claim and secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a mechanism of the class described comprising in combination, a support, oscillatable wheel and reciprocable bar members having complemental wedging friction V faces whereby the wheel is oscillated back and forth by the bar,

'movingaround the axis 3. In a mechanism of the class described comprising in combination, a support, oscillatable wheel and reciprocable bar members having complemen-tal wedging; friction faces whereby the wheel is oscillated back and forth by the bar, adjustable means for applying varying pressures to the wheel and bar whereby the oscillating strokes of the wheelare of an angle dependingbn rupted to limit oscillation of .said wheel and locate the reversai of the direction of oscillation thereof.

4. In a mechanism of the class described comprising in combination, a support, oscillatable wheel and reciprocable $138.1 members having eomplementa-l wedging friction faces whereby the wheel is oscillated back and forth by the bar, adjustable means for applying varying pressures to the wheel and bar whereby the oscillating strokes of the wheel are of an angle depending on the applied pressure, and means associated with one of said members engageable with the other member to prevent oscillating strokes of the wheel from moving around the axis thereof, said means including a member around said wheel provided with a projection for engaging said driving member.

5. In a mechanism of the class described comprising in combination, a support, oscillatable wheel and reciprocable bar members having complemental wedging friction faces whereby the wheel is oscillated back and forth by the bar, adjustable means for applying varying pressures to the wheel and bar whereby the oscillating strokes of the wheel are of an angle depending on the applied pressure, and means associated with one of said members engageable with the other member to prevent oscillating strokes of the wheel from moving around the axis thereof, said means including a member around said wheel provided with projections for engaging said driving member.

6. In a mechanism of the class described comprising in combination, a support, oscillatable wheel and reciprocable bar members having complemental wedging friction faces whereby the wheel is oscillated back and forth by the bar, adjustable means for applying varying pressures to the wheel and bar whereby the oscillating strokes of the wheel are of an angle depending on the applied pressure, and means associated with one of said members engageable with the other member to prevent oscillating strokes of the wheel from moving around the axis thereof, said means including a member around and frictionally engaging said wheel having a projection for engaging said driving member.

'1. In a mechanism of the class described comprising in combination, a support, oscillatable wheel and reclprocable bar members having complemental wedging friction faces whereby the wheel is oscillated back and forth by the bar, adjustable means for applying varying pressures to the wheel and bar whereby the oscillating strokes of the wheel are of an angle depending on the applied pressure, and means associated with one of said members engageable with the other member to prevent oscillating strokes of the whee1 from moving around the axis thereof, said means including a member around and frictionally engaging said wheel having a projection for engaging said driving member, and means for adjusting the frictional engagement of said wheel and member.

8. In a mechanism of the class described comprising in combination, a support, oscillatable wheel and reciprocable bar members having complemental wedging friction faces whereby the wheel is oscillated back and forth by the bar, ad justabie means for applying varying pressures to the wheel and bar whereby the oscillating strokes of the wheel are of an angle depending on the applied pressure, and means associated with one of said members engageable with the other member to prevent oscillating strokes of the wheel from moving around the axis thereof, said means including a member around and frictionally engaging said whee1 having a projection for engaging said driving member, and means for adjusting the frictional engagement of said wheel and member, and said projection being relatively yieldable.

JOHN OAKLEY. 

